(i) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a brake releasing mechanism of a duplex tape recorder, and more specifically, to a brake releasing mechanism of a reel for taking up tape in a duplex tape recorder which is capable of holding a plurality of tape cassettes laid one over another.
(ii) Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, a duplex tape recorder which holds two tape cassettes T1, T2 laid one over the other is provided with braking means for stopping the rotation of a reel only for the tape cassette T2. The braking means is correlated with the operation of operating means (PLAY, REC, FF, REW, etc.) of the tape recorder to release its braking action to the reel (see Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 185056/1983, for example).
However, with a conventional brake releasing mechanism of the duplex tape recorder, when tape in the cassette T2 is selected to PLAY, a reel for the tape cassette T1 does not have any braking means for controlling its rotation, whereby tape in the cassette T1 slackens off due to the vibration of the mechanism or the like. Meanwhile, when the tape in the cassette T2 slackens off while tape in the cassette T1 is being played, an adverse effect is exerted on a start-up property during tape feeding, and wow and flutter in the beginning of tape winding.
For all that, when both the tape cassettes T1, T2 have their respective braking means, the cassettes can not be easily inserted or removed. Especially when the rotation of the reel for the cassette T1 is brought under control, the tape in the cassette T2 is not easily drawn out, and furthermore the cassettes T1, T2 are not easily inserted into the tape recorder.